Spring-heel



B. F. SCHIRMER.

SPRING HEEL.

APPLICATION man nmz. 1919.

1,371,398. Pawmdmr.15,1921.

In ven Zbl? UNITED STAT ES PATENT omer..

BALDWIN F. SCHIRMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPRING-HEEL.

To all rz1710/mit may concern Be it known that I, BALDWIN F. SCHIRMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New i orl; and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Heels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvement in spring heels for foot-wear, the object of the invention being to provide an improved spring heel comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to attach, and one which will give greater resiliency or springiness than the ordinary rubber heel, commonly used.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional view illustratingthe improvement applied to the bottom or tread of the heel; Fig. Q, is a sectional view illustrating the improvement applied between the upper and the tread of the heel; Fig. 3 is a bottom view'of the shoe shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. et is a view of the spring plate illustrated in Fig. 2 with the leather heel removed.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The present improvement may be applied to the bottom or tread of the heel and in that form thereof is preferably provided with a flange which will overlap the inner edge of the heel or it may be applied between the leather tread of the heel and the upper, and in that form of the improvement it is preferably provided with a projecting part which may be attached to the instep.

In either way the improvement is attached, it consists of a resilient or spring plate 2 preferably conforming to the size or shape of the heel, and a thin rubber cushion 3 preferably tapered toward the instep and preferably conforming to the area or shape of the spring plate 2.

When the plate is attached to the heel. it is preferably provided with an upturned iiange 4 overlapping the inner side of the heel and by means of which it may also be fastened to the inner side of the heel in some suitable way.

WVhen the sprin plate is located between the tread of the eel and the upper it is usually provided with a forwardly project- Specication f Letters Prevent l.Patented Mar. 15, 1921. Application filed Mai-ch ze, 191e. i

Serial No. 285,821.

ing portion 5 by means of which it may be fastened by some suitable means to the instep of the shoe.

When the spring plate is located at the tread of the heel it is preferably provided with a covering of leather or some other suitable material G for deadening or softening the clicking noise which would otherwise be present when the spring plate contacted with the surface trod upon. l

The plate and itsy rubber cushion are secured to the heel in any suitable manner, as by suitable devices such as screws or nails.

By means of the present improvement the combined rubber cushion and resilient spring metal plates -provide a much more resilient and springy heel than it is possible to obtain by using an all rubber heel, and a much more comfortable walking shoe and more resilient tread is obtained as I have found by practical experience, while at the same time the metal plate prolongs the wear of the heel when located at the tread thereof since obviously the metal will not wear away as fast as rubber will.

In the form of spring heel shown, in Fig. l, it will be observed that the resilient plate is secured to the front part of the heel only and that as shown, the rubber is fastened to the plate although in some instances it may be fastened also to the leather layers of the heel, but in that event it would only be fastened thereto at the forward part thereof.

In Fig. 2 it will also be observed that the spring plate is secured to the inste of the shoe and therefore forward of the eel or at the front side thereof, while the rubber plate in this instance is likewise secured only to the spring plate, although as hereinbefore stated, it might also be secured to the shoe proper in the same manner as just described in connection with Fig. 1.

In both forms thereof it will thus be observed that the spring plate is secured at the forward side of the heel whereby there is no fastening which in any way interferes with the resiliency andcushioning effect of the plate and the rubber.

In some forms of course, it will be understood that the rubber cushions could be straight instead of tapered without departing from the present improvement, but in practice it is preferred to make it tapered as shown, since superior results are obtained thereby.

It will be understood that the various details may be more or less varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the present improvement.

I claim as my invention:

l. A shoe having a heel comprising'one or more leather lifts, a rubber lift, and a spring plate overlappin@ said rubber lift and secured to the shoe only at the forward'side of the heel whereby the resiliency of the plate is obtained througout the entire area thereof.

2. VA shoe having a heel comprising one orv plate one overlapping another, said spring plate being secured to the shoe instep.

4. A shoe having a' heel comprising one or more leather lifts, a rubber lift, and a spring plate secured to the shoe instep and having a curved formation under the rubber lift.

5. A shoe having a heel comprising one or more leather lifts, a tapered rubber lift of substantially the same area as the heel, and a spring plate under said rubber lift and curved throughout its length from the rear to the front of the heel so that one part of the plate is at a greater distance from the flat of the heel than is another part thereof.

6. A shoe having a heel comprising one or more leather lifts, a tapered rubber lift of substantially the same area as the heel, and a curved spring plate under said rubber lift and secured to the instep of the shoe. y

Signed at New York city, New York, this 26th day of March, 1919.

BALDWINF. SCHIRMER. Y 

